Length measuring apparatus in combination with a twisting machine



March 948. I E. J. LARS EN EI'AL 2,437,101

LENGTH MEASURING APPARATUS IN COMBINATION WITH A TWISIING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Mam}! 2, 1943- E. J. LARSEN EI'AL 2,437,101

LENGTH MEASURING APPARATUS IN COMBINATION WITH A TWISTING MACHINE Filed July 2;, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet z FIG-2 INVENTORS [.J. LARSEN 0. 6. NELSON Patented Mar. 2, 1948v LENGTH MEASURING APPARATUS IN COM- BINATION WITH A TWISTING MACHINE Elmer J. Larsen and Oscar G. Nelson, Baltimore,

Md., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 23, 1942, Serial No. 452,028 7 Claims. (01. 33-129) measuring apparatus particularly adapted to stranding machines for measuring the material resulting from theoperation thereof.

In view of this and other objects, the invention comprises a measuring apparatus in combination with a material handling machine including a material advancing element, a counter unit, and mechanism controlled by the actuation of the advancing element to actuate the counter unit to accurately measure the material being advanced by the element.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a material handling machine illustrating the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a portion of I the structure shown in Fig. 1, this portion being taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view take along the line 33 of Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, this view being taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detailed view of a portion of the counter operating mechanism.

To illustrate the invention, there is shown a portion of the cable forming machine shown in our copending application Serial No. 452,027, filed July 23, 1942, which became Patent No. 2,364,984, issued December 12, 1944. In that application two pairs of electrical conductors are separately intertwisted while being withdrawn from their supply reels by capstan I0, after which and during their continuous advancement in their twisted pair formation, these pairs are twisted together to form a cable II. The cable H, composed of the pairs of conductors, passes a desired number of times about the capstan l0 and is then directed to a takeup reel (not shown) upon which the cable is wound. The capstan It! as Well as the takeup reel (not shown) is disposed in a flier I2 which is rotated continuously during the operation of the machine, to cause the intertwisting of the pairs of conductors.

It is desirable in the present instance to measure the length of cable being formed. To accomplish this result, a cam I4 is formed integral with or secured to the capstan I0 andhas equally spaced lobes 15 about its periphery. The number of lobes depends upon the diameter of the capstan. For example, let it be assumed that the capstan has a circumference measuring twenty-four inches and that there are four lobes I5 on the cam each representing a length of'six inches of the cable passing around the capstan.

Attention is now directed to the more specific structure of the machine and apparatus. The flier [2 includes a head l6 which rotatably supports the capstan and cam at IT, a bevelled gear i8 being mounted upon the cam. Another bevelled gear I9 interengages the gear I8 and is mounted for rotation with a shaft 20, the latter being rotatably supported in suitable bearings of the head IS. A gear 2| is mounted upon the outer end of the shaft 20 and interengages a gear 22 mounted upon a stub shaft 23 which is supported by the head IS. The gear 22 interengages a ring gear 24, the latter being mounted upon a hollow shaft 25 of which a sprocket 26 is a part.

with bearings 33 to rotatably support the shaft' 30 and serve in rotatably supporting the flier 12. Other suitable means (not shown) may beprovided at the opposite end of the flier to rotatably support it and cause its rotation in a desired direction.

The shaft 3|] is centrally apertured at 35 and communicates with a polishing head 36 at the left end thereof and a passage 'ay 31 at the right end thereof for the travel o the conductors, forming the cable H, to the capstan l0. Another longitudinal aperture 38 is provided in the shaft 30 to slidably receive a push rod 39and a spring 40 adapted to normally urge the push rod to the right and cause its outer end 4| to engage an actuating arm 42. The arm 42 is of the contour shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and is mounted for rotation on'a shaft 45. he shaft 45 is supported by spect thereto from the shaft, is a cam lever 46 which supports a cam roller 41 at a position to ride upon the periphery of the cam l4. The force of the spring 40 in urging the rod 39 to the right (Fig. 1) forces the cam roller 41 to ride upon the cam and be actuated thereby.

Attention is now directed to. the other end of the rod 39 upon the outer end of which a control element or disc 48 is mounted. The disc 48 is annular in general contour. as shown in Fig. 2, and disposed concentric with the polishing head 35 for movement axially thereof.

Attention is now directed to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, wherein a counter unit 50 is mounted upon the support 3| as indicated at 5|, this unit being of the conventional type and having registering discs or counter members 52 actuable throughoscillation of its shaft 53. In the present instance let it be assumed .that for each oscillating cycle of the shaft 53, the counter unit will register six inches and for each two cycles one foot will be indicated on the indicating elements. The shaft 53, as shown, extends completely through the unit and has a lever 54 mounted upon one end thereof with a roller 55 positioned to ride upon the element 48 during its rotation with the flier. Another lever 56 is mounted upon the opposite end of the shaft 53 and is connected to a spring actuated rod 58 as shown in Fig,3, a spring 59 of this structure normally urging the shaft 53 counterclockwise (Fig. 3) to hold the roller 55 in engagement with the element 48. The rod 58 and the spring 53 are disposed in a housing 60, a collar 5| mounted upon the free end of the rod serving to limit the movement of the rod in one direction.

Upon considering the operation of the apparatus, let it be assumed that the flier I2 is conation is repeated-at definite intervals during the operation of the machine, to accurately measure the material or cable.

It will thus be apparent that the measuring apparatus is adapted for use incombinatlon with a material advancing machine, wherein the material is moved not only longitudinally but in other directions to operate a counter unit which is remotely positioned on a stationary member and operated through a mechanism extending to the moving parts of the machine. 7

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A measuring apparatus in combination with a twisting machine having a rotatable flier to twist advancing material and a member carried by the flier to advance the material, the measuring apparatus comprising a counter unit to register'the length of the twisted material, the unit being mounted externally of the flier, a mechanism extending between the counter unit and a position within the flier and actuable to actuate the counter, and means movable with the flier and the material advancing member to actuate the mechanism.

2. A measuring apparatus in combination with a twisting machine having a rotatable flier to twist advancing material and a rotatable member in the flier to advance the material, the measuring apparatus comprising a counter unit to register the length of the twisted material passing over the rotatable member, the unit being mounted externally of the flier, a mechanism extending between the counter unit and a position withtinuousiy rotated in a given direction about the axis of the shaft 30, the capstan I0 and the cam l4 travelling in this circuitous path with the flier. During the operation of the flier, the capstan is driven in a counterclockwise direction through the chain 21, shaft 25, gears 24, 22 and 2|, shaft 23 and gears l9 and I8. Therefore, during the rotation of the capstan, the material or cable I I is advanced at constant rate of speed. The circumference of the capstan being known and the spacing of the lobes I5 01' the cam being in proportion to the measurement or the capstan, each revolution of the capstan will advance a known len th of material or cable.

In thepresent illustrationin Fig, 1, the roller 41 is riding upon one of the low portions of the cam. When the next adjacent lobe l5 reaches the roller 41, the lever 45 will be moved clock-.

wise, moving with-it the arm 42 to move the rod 39 against the force of the spring 40 and move the element 48 outwardly. This movein the flier and actuable to actuate the counter, and means mounted for rotation with the member and flier to actuate the mechanism.

3. A measuring apparatus in combination with a twisting machine having a rotatable flier to twist advancing material and a rotatable member ing apparatus comprising a counter unit to register the length of the twisted material mounted ment of the element transmits movement to the Each lobe I5 0f the externally of the flier, a mechanism extending between the counter unit and a position within the flier and actuable to actuate the counter, and a cam rotatable with the member in the flier to actuate the mechanism.

4. A measuring apparatus in combination with a twisting machine having a flier to twist advancing material, a hollow shaft to rotatably support the flier and a rotatable member in the flier to advance the material, which comprises a counter unit to register the length of the twisted material, the counter unit being mounted externally of the flier. an element in the flier movable with the material, and mechanism extending from the counter unit, through the said shaft and into the flier for actuation by the element to actuate the counter unit.

5. A measuring apparatus in combination with a twisting machine having a flier to twist adreturn to normal or inoperative position through the control of the springs 40 and 59. This opervancing material, a hollow shaft to rotatabiy support the flier and a rotatable member in the flier to advance the material, which comprises a counter unit to register the length of the twisted material mounted externally of the flier, a cam rotatable by and with the member in the flier, and mechanism extending from the counter unit, through the said shaft and into the flier vancing material, a hollow shaft to rotatably' support the flier and a rotatable member in the filer to advance the material, which comprises a counter unit to register the length of the twisted material mounted externally of the flier, a mechanism extending from the counter unit, through the said shaft and into the flier, and a cam rotatable with the member in the flier and having spaced lobes adapted to actuate the mechanism to actuate the counter unit after each given length of material has been advanced by the member.

7. A measuring apparatus in combination with amachine having a, unit mounted for rotation about a given axis for forming materials and including a capstan disposed in the unit for rotation therewith and mounted for rotation about an axis disposed at an angle with respect to the said given axis and means to rotate the capstan to advance a material, the measuring apparatus comprising a counter unit mounted at a remote position with respect to the rotatable unit to register the length of the material, a mechanism extending between the counter unit and the capstan and actuable to actuate the counter, and. means rotatable with the capstan to actuate the mechanism.

ELMER J. LARSEN.' OSCAR G. NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,315,747 Terry et al Apr. 6, 1943 

